Ain't She Sweet
by Phelpsies
Summary: The story of Michelle: the cool, sarcastic stand-in for Sadie at Café Huh? Follows her love for Max Carrigan and heartbreaking events that happened in 1970.
1. Michelle

Michelle, needless to say, was fixing all of the little hairs and making sure everything was in place before she even set foot on the stage of Café Huh? Ever since Sadie signed on with her own record label, she didn't have time for small gigs like the café. This left time when there was not entertainment; there were very few applicants since Sadie's shows had been late at night. Michelle auditioned and got the allotted time.

Michelle was now pulling herself from the mirror. The other members in the band – which, unfortunately, happened to be four males – were getting impatient. They needed the money more than Michelle, and they couldn't afford to miss time where they were getting paid.

"Good God, guys! I'm sorry I feel the need to be pampered," Michelle huffed, narrowing her eyes at them. They pushed her towards the entrance of the stage, much to her displeasure. "My feet function perfectly, thanks!"

"Normal people wouldn't think so if they saw how slowly your legs moved," snapped a lanky male with shaggy, knotted blonde hair. His dark blue eyes were almost hidden in his thick locks. The other three snickered, leaving Michelle angrier than ever.

"You're lucky you even have a lead." Those were Michelle's last words before she took her rightful spot in front of the microphone. She seemed to put on a mask: her infuriated side was completely gone, replaced with a sweet, smiling girl.

* * *

Michelle came off the stage snorting with laughter. "We practically had them eating out of our hands," she said. They each nodded, leaving for the men's dressing room. Michelle was left to her duties: she had to clean up any mess she made so the next showgirl didn't have to deal with Michelle's unholy ransack.

There was very little to clean up. There was tidbits of makeup, Michelle's brush (which hardly counted as a brush since the handle was missing), and music sheets. The sheets were Michelle's pathetic attempts at writing a nice harmony for the band to pick up. But something was always wrong that couldn't be placed.

"Michelle?" came a husky voice from the doorway. Michelle had been throwing away wipes she had used to pick up loose foundation from the vanity set. She nearly jumped through the roof, but she ended up facing her drummer.

"Yeah?" she mumbled, resting her hand over her heart as if it would settle it. The drummer merely chuckled before continuing.

"You need a ride?" he asked. Michelle had become accustomed to this question since he was the only band member that had a car. But he had spent the only money he had on it (gas, fix-ups, etc.); so, in other words, he was flat-out broke.

"'Course I do. When don't I?" Michelle said flatly. She grabbed up her bag, pushing her makeup into it.

"You didn't need one the other night when that Carrigan guy showed up," Drummer Boy replied. He wiggled his eyebrows and watched the color rise to Michelle's cheeks. He patted his drumsticks rhythmically against his pant leg as he waited for Michelle.

"So? It was one night," Michelle said as smoothly as possible.

"And did you spend the night with him?"

"I don't see how that concerns you. It's none of your business who I'm seeing… and who I'm not."

Michelle hoisted her bag up on her shoulder and followed the drummer through the exit. They met up with the three other members; they stood shivering under their coats beside the car. "Could you be any slower, Michelle?" the blonde teased.

"I could. Would you like to see me try, Desmond?" Michelle said sarcastically. She smirked and pulled her jacket a little closer to her body. The winter of 1969 was not brutal, but it was sure cold. They had seen much worse.

"Not particularly…" Desmond muttered.

The sky overhead was dark and dreary. There were several clouds, dropping layers of snow onto New York. The snow seemed to be the only thing in sight that was actually bright… in a color sense, anyhow. Nobody seemed to really want the snow, slush, and ice the winter was so willingly giving the poor residents of the city that never sleeps. After a warm summer and fall, all of this seemed to chill everyone to the bone.

"And where will I have the honor of dropping off Miss Michelle tonight?" the drummer asked as everyone had settled into the car. Michelle had taken the front passenger seat.

"Drop her off in the streets, Bill," said Desmond. All of this was routine; it didn't tick off Michelle any more.

"I'll be going to Jude's again," Michelle said. Jude had shacked up with Lucy again after the rooftop concert, but Max had also found room for himself in there somehow. But, of course, Michelle had failed to mention that to the others.

"Do you have something with him too?" asked the middle of the backseat inhabitant. Michelle shook her head and glared at him.

"Do I seem like that kind of girl to you? Well, I'm not," Michelle said curtly, turning to face the road again. The questioner shook his head, his large, dark hair bouncing about. Michelle didn't see this. She wrapped her arms tightly around her bag. She thought if that was really the impression she gave off when she told everyone that she was living with a man, but going home with another. This thought carried with her until the car stopped.

Michelle got out, but poked her head back into the car before shutting the door. "See you guys on Monday," she said before she blew them all a kiss. The African-American in the middle of the backseat waved the kiss away. Desmond, who was on his right, caught it. Bill showed no reaction, and the guitarist sitting behind him did the same.

"See ya," Bill called as Michelle was shutting the door. She smiled weakly at him before bouncing to the front door and running in.

"Guys?" she called through the house. The three broken replies came from the sitting room where a television set was put on a low volume. Michelle came into the room, her curls leaping around her face. They smiled at her, tearing their gaze away from the set.

"How was it?" Jude asked, draping his arm around Lucy's shoulders.

Michelle shrugged. "Same as always, I suppose."

Mac could not help but grin at Michelle. "So you pissed off the guys before and after the show?" Jude was also grinning, but Lucy was trying to keep a straight face.

"You know it," Michelle answered, smiling mischievously.


	2. Let it Be

"But how did you do… singing-wise, Michelle?" Lucy asked, still fighting back a smile. Though Michelle was the sweetest thing to the three, she was a mega-snob to basically anyone else. Max and Jude thought this to be hilarious. So did Lucy, though she tried to be adamant on how wrong it was.

"Oh, I was fine. The people there thought I was brilliant. You know, if you guys really want to know how I do, why don't you come once in a while?" Michelle asked, popping up one of her eyebrows and pursing her lips.

"That's not fair. I was there last week," Max protested, scooting closer to Lucy so Michelle could sit down. She took the offered room and smacked Max on the ribs.

"Last week, Max. Did you know that since last week my song lineup had changed, I got a new wardrobe, and I received a higher paycheck?" Michelle asked. She watched Max for the longest time until he decided to shake his head.

"No, I didn't know," Max replied softly, his lips turning into a frown. "Sorry…"

"Don't be. It's not like my shows are that important anyhow."

"Oh, come now. That's where Sadie was discovered. This could be really big for you," Lucy said. That was the first time she spoke since Michelle had come home. "We'll watch you Monday night. Max has nothing better to do." Jude was schooling in an art institute, and he only took a few classes during the day. He was gone for about six to seven hours a day. To pay for the schooling Jude pumped gas at a local station. Lucy had taken up her previous job as a waitress every other day. The days when she wasn't at the restaurant was spent "fighting for the cause" still. The revolution still hadn't moved the government to withdraw from the war, and there were still people fighting for their lives. But the government did start taking 25,000 soldiers from Vietnam. But America was still fighting, and they had put the draft lottery into effect only two weeks ago.

Max, on the other hand, was unemployed and lived off of what Jude, Lucy, and Michelle made. Nobody objected since Max was still a little messed up in the head from his time in Vietnam. "Fine, I'll go. Whatever makes you happy, babe," Max said, smiling feebly at Michelle. She grinned back and kissed him on the cheek.

"Thanks," Michelle said to the three. She sat back in the sofa. There was hardly any room since it was a three-person couch. "Guys, I think I know what I'm going to buy for you for Christmas."

"What?" Jude asked excitedly, leaning back so his head peaked out behind Max's.

"A loveseat… But I think I'll buy it for me and Max," Michelle said seductively, topping it off with a snide smirk. Max laughed and pulled Michelle a little closer to him. "But it'll be cheap… It'll break under our weight. You just wait and see."

"But you just said you got a raise!" Max said, frowning.

"Doesn't mean much when it was only a two dollars an hour raise," Michelle said softly with a sideways smile. "I've been saving up for a while though. I can't stand having to sit on your lap every night."

"You don't have to stand it. You have to _sit_ it," Jude said, snorting at his own gag.

"That was painful," Max said, smacking the back of Jude's head. Jude flinched and retracted his arm from around Lucy's shoulders to rub his head. Lucy glared at Max, who was laughing with Michelle – who was sitting on his lap.

* * *

Michelle woke up to snow falling on the windowsill; Max thought it a good idea to crack the window slightly after it fogged up last night. She glanced over her shoulder at Max, who was fast asleep. He stirred slightly under the soft gaze of Michelle. She pushed herself to get out of the bed, wrap a knee-length robe around her naked body, and shut the blinds. Michelle considered leaving the room, but she settled on lying down again with the robe on.

To her surprise, Max settled an arm around Michelle's hip. She rolled over and faced Max, who was smiling at her. "Hey, beautiful," he mumbled in her ear, sending a shiver down her spine. She smiled sweetly at him and kissed his cheek.

"Good morning," Michelle said, her voice hoarse. Max pushed her hair away from her face and pulled her towards his body warmth. The weather was just as cold, if not colder, as it was last night. And there they were, snuggled together and covered only by two thin layers of blankets and a silk robe.

The silence between the two seemed to stretch on forever. As cheesy as it sounds, they did not really need to say anything. The quiet was broken when Jude barged into the room, flinging the door open. Michelle squealed and pulled the blankets a little closer to her body.

"What the hell, man?" Max yelled, sitting up. His nether regions were still hidden by the blankets.

"I'm freezing. Where are all the blankets?" Jude snapped. He stood under the doorway in a large, baggy t-shirt and pajama pants. He was shivering with his arms crossed over his chest.

"The closet… Where they always are… C'mon, Jude, you did this on purpose," Max groaned, running a hand through his scraggly, uncut hair. Jude could not help but smile victoriously at the two, who looked disheveled and startled.

"You did it to me. Remember? I sure do," Jude said darkly, leaning against wall with his arms still crossed. His shivering magically stopped.

"That was different. That was important. I was getting ready to… you know what? I don't even have to explain this to you. Get out," Max grumbled, throwing his pillow at Jude. Jude only saved himself by shutting the door. The plain white pillow slumped lazily to the floor. Michelle started giggling, causing Max to glare at her. "What's so funny?"

"Jude," she said softly, lying back down on the only pillow on the bed. Max did the same, making his face closer to Michelle's than it had been before. And quicker than the blink of an eye, Michelle was slowly untying the silk that held her robe over everything private.  


* * *

Michelle was in the shower, rinsing off any adverse sentiment she was feeling while with Max. When she finished and was decent, a tap came on the door. Michelle was brushing her hair when she spoke.

"Come in." Michelle set down her comb and smiled at Lucy, who shut the door behind her fairly quickly. Lucy glanced at Michelle before sitting on the lid of the toilet seat. She crossed her legs and looked up at Michelle. Michelle looked back at Lucy before saying, "And what's so urgent that you have to talk to me in the bathroom?"

"And what makes you think I want to talk to you?" Lucy asked, grinning slightly.

"Because the lid on the toilet isn't down, you aren't stripping, and you aren't pushing me out of the way of the mirror like you usually do." Lucy chortled quietly.

"Well, you're right. Anyway, I want to tell you this and you can't tell anyone, okay?" Lucy said in an undertone. Michelle slowly nodded, picking up her brush again and running it through her hair. She believed her hair would be healthier if she brushed it the one hundred strokes a day. "I think I'm pregnant."

Michelle's brush clattered to the floor. Lucy quickly picked it up and handed it back to Michelle, who was completely stunned. Michelle stopped her brush at count at sixty-seven and shoved it in a shelf. She sat on the counter and frowned at Lucy. "Are you kidding?" she managed, almost choking on her words. Lucy shook her head, causing Michelle to drop her head into her hands. "Aren't you on the pill? Didn't he use rubber?"

"Yes… But for about a week we gave up on rubber because I was using the pill. It's not very effective, is it?" Lucy asked, forcing a smile. Michelle kept a straight face and didn't answer.

"How do you know?"

"I'm days late…" Lucy mumbled, pushing hair from her face. Michelle closed her eyes and then hopped of the counter to face Lucy.

"Well… I guess we'll wait, won't we? See if you bleed again… We can't afford a visit to the doctor's, can we?" Michelle asked quietly. Lucy shook her head again. "Figures… M'boss can't give me a decent paycheck."

"We have to let it be," Lucy said in agreement.


End file.
